CrossLife Church

The purpose of the letter of Jude is to call Jesus' followers to contend for the once-for-all-faith that we have been given. Jude writes this letter with a sense of urgency knowing that false teachers and pretenders had snuck into churches. The false teaching could not be allowed to take root.

The intruders were described as ungodly people who:
-Pervert the Grace of God- “pervert the grace of God into sensuality” (v.4).
-Deny the Lordship of Christ- “deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”(v.4).

In the last message, we looked at verses 5-7 where Jude presents 3 Old Testament examples where God brought judgment upon groups that perverted His grace and rebelled against His ways. In this message, Jude 8-10 examines the attitude of the false teachers toward God's warnings.

Despite the fact that God did not allow the sins of unbelief, pride, rebellion, and sexual perversion to go unpunished but punished Israel, the fallen angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah—they foolishly continue in their false teaching and sinful behavior.

How is your attitude towards God? Indifferent, passive, rebellious, skeptical, humble, teachable, doubtful? Jude 8-10 reveals the importance of checking our attitude towards God.

We are living in the age of the Autonomous Individual. People have never had more freedom to determine their own individual identity, construct their own personal religious beliefs, and live according to their self-defined truth.

“Everything” is finally drawn into the self that I take myself to be. Whatever is not of my-self is subject to myself. I am the ruler not only of myself but of all things in relation to myself. Which is to say that I have become God. The sovereignty that is proper to God is repositioned within the individual human. I am the God of my life, I am self-sufficient, I decide who I am, and nothing can intrude on my freedom to be exactly this self-ruled, self-sufficient, self-unto-itself" (C. Kevin Rowe, Christianity’s Surprise).

While the freedom of the autonomous individual is a recent phenomenon, finding new ways to transform the society we have all known, it is not uniquely new. Kevin Rowe explains, "This is idolatry of the most basic kind: the inversion of the Imago. No longer does God image himself in me; I have taken God’s image and turned myself into God."

As autonomous individuals, we have always had the freedom to live as we want. However, we do not have the freedom to choose the consequences. There is a cost to autonomy.

In this sermon, we focus on Jude 4-7 to discover the cost of autonomy.

As our culture continues to rapidly change around us there are a number of questions people are asking. Some are asking, “how did we get here?” While many are asking “where are we?” For Christians living in the Western world, Christianity is ignored, reviled, attacked, celebrated, and taken advantage of all at the same time. Simultaneously loved and hated depending on the moment.

“And this is the mark of our time in the West: Christianity is still so much here with us that it is utterly familiar and has receded from us SO far that we do not know what it is. This is not a step-wise process—here, then not here—but a simultaneous reality. Christianity is at one and the same time here and gone, familiar and forgotten. This is the world in which we live.” (C. Kevin Rowe, Christianity’s Surprise, 2).

Christianity has left an undeniable mark upon Western Civilization creating, shaping, or informing its most vital institutions and language. Unfortunately, those institutions have drifted far from their original purposes. There are many words regularly used even today that originated from Biblical language and yet they have been decoupled from the Christian faith.

“We are at home and comfortable in Christian language and use it for whatever we care about, but all the while we remain strangers to the vital biblical and ecclesial patterns that originally surprised the world. We go about our work speaking Christian, as it were, but remain captive to the cultural terms that have been dictated to us.” (2).

The letter of Jude is written to encourage and challenge struggling Christians to “contend for the faith.” The letter of Jude begins with a reminder of what it means to be a Christian. Before a believer can “contend for the faith” they first need to know who they are.

In this message, be focusing on some words that have massively important and powerful meanings and yet today they are thrown around flippantly with little understanding of their true weight. Words like called, beloved, kept, mercy, peace, and love (Jude 1-2). Read, study, and meditate on these verses as you listen.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find the right words to express an opinion. It is not uncommon to find yourself in a conversation with another person using similar words with vastly different meanings. Words like love, justice, tolerance, judging, mercy, and faith have derived from a Christian heritage but they have been redefined with secular meanings. It is as if one wrong word can set off a landmine.

How can you explain, defend, or share your faith or convictions as a Christian without getting shouted down or shunned? “Opponents of Christianity are no longer simply arguing that it is untrue or illogical, but also that it's dangerously oppressive. Many of the ethical commands of Christianity and the concept of divine judgment fly in the face of the prevailing norms of our culture. These kinds of moral issues are the chief apologetic challenge of our age” (Chatraw, 11).

In an effort to be more loving and less offensive Christians are having to water down much of their Biblical faith, morality, and convictions. The result is what Jude 4 describes as people who profess to be Christian but are “ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

The letter of Jude is written to encourage and challenge struggling Christians to “contend for the faith.”

This is the beginning of our series on Jude. This is a timely and important letter containing only 25 verses. Read, study, and meditate on these verses as you listen to this message to think about how to grow in contending for the faith.

Over the past several months, we have learned a great deal from Daniel's person and the contents of the Prophecy that bears his name. As we finish the Book of Daniel it would be wise to reflect more deeply upon the life of Daniel. What is it that made Daniel such a remarkable and resilient person?
We know Daniel was a man of great faith, wisdom, prayer, integrity, and courage. Daniel is even referenced in Hebrews 11 in the great chapter known as the "hall of faith." From Daniel's teen years well into his 80s, his life stands as one of the most significant examples of a true hero of the faith.
This message reflects on the key truth and reality that set Daniel apart as one of the greatest men in all of the Bible.

The End of Days

According to a 2010 Pew Research study, just under half of U.S. Christians believed that Christ will definitely (27%) or probably (20%) return to earth in the next 40 years. Those who believed this would definitely NOT happen made up 10% and 28% said it would probably not happen.

When asked about belief in an afterlife, a 2021 Pew Research study found that 92% of U.S. adults (identifying as Christians) believe in heaven but only 79% believe in hell. While even more shockingly 33% of U.S. adults (identifying as Christian) believe in some form of reincarnation (a cycle of death and rebirth found in Hinduism and Buddhism).

As a result of the last 2 years of the Covid pandemic, political polarization, and a global increase in governmental control with a reduction in individual freedoms, people are increasingly curious about how close we may be to the climatic "End of Days." Many are starting to wonder if we are getting closer to the end.

Two of the greatest questions in which Christians should be concerned are:
(1) When Jesus will return?
(2) What will happen to me if I die before Jesus returns?

Daniel 12 is the final chapter of this amazing but difficult book. These key verses provide vital insights regarding both the End of Days and the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead.

Are you ready for the End of Days?

What's your path out of difficult times?

Finding Your Way in Difficult Times
In Jeremiah, the prophet warns God’s people that they are about to experience judgment and calamity as a result of their ongoing sin.

“Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,” says the Lord. Thus says the Lord:
“Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” -Jeremiah 6:15-17
Though difficult times were on the horizon God gave them a path that would provide rest during that season. The path wasn't new. It was an Ancient Path, a good way, and the way of rest.

This passage reminds me of the Appalachian Trail (AT). The AT travels through 14 states, beginning in GA, ending in Maine, and covering 2,192 miles. The trail is marked by 80,000 white markers painted on trees, rocks, and poles to help hikers stay on the main path. While the AT crosses many roads and journeys through or on the edge of many small towns, the majority of its trail runs through deep wilderness, often with challenging terrain.

As we look at the final vision of Daniel in chapter 11, God is giving His people a map that will help them know the way during a difficult time in the future. It will be a time when the voice of the prophets will not be heard and God will seem silent. Yet, God will have already have given them all the truth they will need.

Where do you look for answers during times of difficulty?

The Cosmic War

Why is there so much conflict in the world today?

According to the United Nations, "the nature of conflict and violence has transformed substantially since the UN was founded 75 years ago. Conflicts now tend to be less deadly and often waged between domestic groups rather than states. Homicides are becoming more frequent in some parts of the world, while gender-based attacks are increasing globally. The long-term impact on the development of interpersonal violence, including violence against children, is also more widely recognized."

They continue, "a breakdown in the rule of law, absent or co-opted state institutions, illicit economic gain, and the scarcity of resources exacerbated by climate change, have become dominant drivers of conflict."

If you wonder how the UN is seeking to bring about an end to conflict and human suffering, the answer--like all political and state powers--is to grant them greater power, control, and more money. However, this is an oversimplification and even exploitation of both the problem and solution.

In reality, the conflict around us is nothing new. More importantly, the conflict around us is a symptom of a greater cosmic battle that has been raging since before time.

In Daniel 10 we discover that the battles we see around us are merely symptoms of a far greater war. God reveals to Daniel that there is a battle raging in the spiritual realm between the angels and demons.

This Sunday, we will gain a greater understanding of Satan's opposition to God and His people. We will also explore the weapons and defenses that God has given us in this fight.

In Daniel 4, we find one of the most fascinating passages in the whole Bible, as it is mostly written by the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. This passage is a warning about the dangers of pride, self-sufficiency, and self-delusion.

Never underestimate any person's potential for self-delusion. It is easy to discern and recognize how crazy other people can act or think. What is difficult is to recognize when your own perspective and actions have you headed for crazy town. Perhaps the pinnacle of craziness is pride.

There is only one thing that can survive in the presence of God and it isn't pride! Join us Sunday to find out what it is.

Risk and Rewards

Is it possible to live your life and never take a risk? Some people are adrenaline junkies who look for opportunities to push their limits and enjoy the hit of adrenaline and the dopamine that follows. Others consider themselves risk-averse, avoiding as many uncertainties as possible. Some people take calculated risks while others would rather jump before they have time to think.

There are certain risks we can avoid but there are others that are beyond our control.

“An asteroid or a super-volcano could certainly destroy us, but we also face risks the dinosaurs never saw: An engineered virus, nuclear war, inadvertent creation of a micro black-hole, or some as-yet-unknown technology could spell the end of us.” -Elon Musk

In reality, it is impossible to live without risk and without risks there are no rewards. Some risks are foolish and others are worth it all. Some have temporal consequences and others eternal.

Almost 2,600 years ago, there were 3 Jewish teenagers who found themselves faced with a life or death risk. In Daniel 3, the young men were commanded to bow down and worship a statue or be thrown into a raging fire. Imagine the counsel they would have received from even well meaning Christians if they lived today.

Bowing down was simply a “job requirement.”
"There is no shame in bowing, everyone is doing it."
"You can bow your knees and while standing in your heart."
"How can you help others if you are dead."
How did the young men respond with such great courage and faith? It appears that they risked it all but for what reward? What was the greater risk, bowing in compromise or standing with courage. Which option had the greater reward?